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Many women are trying to find ways to spend more quality time with their children, while maintaining a career. So, it’s no surprise that many of us have found a way to work from a home office. This is all in hopes of having more flexibility in our days, so we can attend school functions, help with homework, and just be there for the children.

Most women who have taken this plunge will probably agree that it is not as simple as we all might think before taking that leap. I realized that even with giving up the corporate rat race, that this would have its own set of challenges.

However, these challenges can be controlled, and even conquered. And, I am going to share some ideas with you, so you can have the best of both your career and home life.

Putting Superwoman’s Cape on to Take on the Challenges

When I first realized that I wanted to get out of the corporate world, I decided to look into Internet Marketing. This appealed to me for 2 reasons. One is the challenge of something new. But, the second reason was that I knew I could do this from a home office.

However, along with this came concern of a couple drawbacks that I knew would have to be defeated in order to become a well-balanced work-at-home mom. So, I decided to put my Superwoman cape on to fight these before they became a problem.

The first potential problem is the distractions that can come with working from home, such as kids, neighbors stopping by, pets, and personal phone calls. Getting control of these ahead of time will help you to reach your goals.

Another challenge that work-at-home moms encounter is finding a little ‘me time’. For me, I really enjoy some quiet time for reading. When I first heard about eReaders, I sought out my little gem by searching the ‘best tablet 2011’ in a Google search. It’s something I thoroughly enjoy, even if it’s just for 30 minutes a day. But, finding the time to enjoy it, might have been a challenge.

So, now that we know what some of the challenges might be, let’s take a closer look at how to beat them, before they beat us.

Nip the Distractions in the Bud

One of the first things I did when deciding that I was going to work from home, was to design my home office. I knew this area had to be a dedicated spot, not a random space that floated from the dining room table to the couch, depending on available space each day.

If there is a space that is organized and specifically designed for your work, then it’s not difficult to set proper boundaries. There is nothing wrong with letting the kids know that this area is for work, not play.

As to the potential distractions of personal calls and neighbors stopping by, turn the phone off and don’t answer the door. That might sound incredibly simple, but that’s because it is. Calls can be returned later, as well as finding out what the neighbor wanted. Setting the boundary early on will help to prevent unnecessary distractions later.

Once you have a professional office space set up, then you can discuss certain rules with the children. If you let them know ahead of time that you are working when you are at your desk, they will respect your work time.

Also, by setting breaks during the day, you can do two things. First, stretch your muscles and refresh your mind. But most importantly, you can spend a little time with the kids decreasing the risk for interruptions…something you couldn’t necessarily do in a traditional work atmosphere.

Finding the ‘Me Time’

Of course, getting your work done and spending more time with the kids is incredibly important. However, in order to find a true balance in your life, you also need to find some time for yourself. That is perhaps the most challenging part of being a work-at-home mom.

As I mentioned earlier, you will be with the kids more than ever…which is part of the goal, I know. But, that will also make it more difficult to find time alone. In the traditional brick and mortar office, you at least have the commute to and from work, if not lunches and breaks to yourself.

So, here are some ideas on how you can easily get some time to decompress, even if it’s only for a few minutes:

·        eReading in your room, after the kids go to bed
·        Headphones with your iPod while soaking in the tub
·        Getting a massage at the local spa
·        Go for a walk or bike ride
·        Gardening

It really doesn’t matter what you choose to do, just that you do something for yourself. If you don’t, it could lead to a quick burn-out.

What I have just shared, I have also implemented and it has all helped me to reach my goals. Even though it’s only a few minutes each day, those moments with the kids, as well as alone, will make a huge difference in finding a true balance in your life.